Extension and combination stepladder



-w. HOUGYHTALING. EXTENSION AND COMBINATION STEPLADDERx 'APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22| i919.

Patented Dee. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR i, ZUZ'NI'am Hough fa 72779.

4UNITED STATES PATENT ortica.

WILLIAM HOUGHTALING, OF CHAPPAQUA, NEW YORK.

EXTENSION AND COMBINATION sTnrLADDEn.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I Winnaar Honoiitrrfu.- ING a citizen of the nited States, resldlng at reeley avenue, Chappa., ua, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve- 'ments in an Extension and Combination Stepladder, of which the following s a specification.

My iinvention consists of an extension stepadder having in combination two stepladders. "i

The ob'ect of' the invention is to furnish a step-la der adjustable as to height, which also can be se arated so that twostep-led ders een be armed of the one extension stepladder. This furnishes to a pa erhanger, or person similarly engaged, a adder which can be readily carried and which can also be converted upon requirement into two step-ladders, so as to support a crossboard between.

The novelty of the device lies 1n the combination and adjustment of the parts as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a perspective' of the step-ladder in assembled condition adapted to be used as an extenslon step-ladder. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the two step-ladders set up for use as separate step ladders, and havlng a crossboard supported by each. I

In the drawings 3 are the sides of the base step-ladder which has treads Lamounted thereon and securing the sides 3 in fixed relation. At the upper end of' this stepladder there is secured to each side at 5 a hook 6, the motion of which. is limited by the gulde members 7 also rigidly secured to the sides 3. The supporting members of this step-ladder are the props 8 which are connected in the usual manner by the run s 9. At the upper end of both props i this ladder are two eyes 10 secured rigidly thereto in such position that the hook 6 can be inserted therein thereby securlng the props and step portion of this step-ladder together. 4

There is also loosely mounted on the top tread 4 at 11 a stop 12 which 1s adapted to lock with a second stop 13 which 1s mounted so that it can turn readily 1n the props 8 at 14. The ladder stop 13 terminates in a hook 15 adapted to lock under spring tension over the bar 16 of the ladder stop 12.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented Dec 27, 1921. Application led March 22,1919. Serial No. 284,368,

` The sides 3 of the base step-ladder also have rigidly mounted at the inside'near the top, guide members 17 and at the inside near the bottom cross-bar guide members 18. The props 8 each carry rigidly secured near the top, guide members 19. There is also an eccentric clamping member 20 between the `props S in Vplace of one of the rungs, which is adapted to be turned so as to bind against props 26 and prevent them from sliding up when the ladder is lifted in order to move the same.

The upper or extension ladder 30 is of the usual step-ladder construction having steps or treads 21 rigidly mounted between the sides 2,2, and having reinforcing supportrungs 23 under each tread 21. The sides 22 are rigidly secured at 24 to a capping member 25, which also serves as the top tread, and props 26 secured to they capping member 25 by a rung 27 which serves as a shaft on which the props can swing. The props 26 are also secured together' by the rungs 29. The sides 22 and props 26 are joined together by means of the links 28, which are rigidly secured at either end to said sides 22 and props 26, so that the props can be folded to the sides in the usual manner, and on opening the legs from the sides the limit of spread will be xed and mailitained by the length of the said links 28.

The props 26 of the extension ladder 30 are adapted to slide into the guide members 19 on the props of the base ladder, and the sides 22 are adapted to slide on the guide members 17 and 18. The ladder stop 13 is adapted to hook under any one of the rungs 29, thereby preventing the props 26 from sliding down lower than the position fixed by the locking of the ladder stop 13 under the selected rung 29. The props 26 may be also secured against being lifted up by turning the eccentrically mounted clamping member 20 until it binds against the props 26 in the locking position.

The ladder stop 12 is also adapted to be swung into position under any selected tread 2l so that it will hold the sides 22 from sliding down below such selected position, and the sides 22 may be further locked against beingr lifted out of said selected position by turning the eccentric clamping member 31, which is mounted between the sides 3 of the base ladder, so as to prevent the sides 22 of the extension ladder from being lifted out of the selected position.

The normal position for the base ladder 40 and extension ladder 30 is shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the ladder stop 12 is shown in its raised position so as to show its entire construction. In this position the extension ladder 30 is adapted to be raised and lowered at will and secured in the fixed position in relation to the base ladder 40 by means of the ladder stops l2 and 13 and the eccentric clamping members 20 and 31 as described.

On releasing the eccentric clamping members the extension ladder 30 can be slipped out of the guide members 17, 18, and 19, and as it is complete it can be used separately as a step-ladder. The base stepladder 40 can then be formed by slipping the hooks 6 into the eyes 10 and locking the ladder stop 13 over the stop 12, thereby forming a second complete rigid step-ladder. The base ladder 40 can be disassembled by unhooking the hooks 6, and unfastening the stops 12 and 13, and reassembling with the extension ladder 3() as already described.

I do not confine myself to the particular means shown, as it only serves to illustrate my invention.

1. A step-ladder comprising a step portion and a prop portion and means for secnr- :1

ing the same together, consisting of hooks on one portion and eyes on the other and also a ladder stop on each portion, said stops being adapted to be locked together.

2. A step-ladder comprising a step por- 1" prop portions of an extension step-ladder,

and each of' the irst mentioned portions having a ladder stop member adapted to fit under a rung or tread and support said extension ladder in the desired position, said first mentioned portions also having an ecf.

centric clamping member to lock the prop portions together and an eccentric clamping member' to lock the step portions together.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

WILLIAM HOUGHTALING. 

